“When do you usually visit Walles City?” he asked.
“During New Year’s,” she said.
Jasper took another bite of his food. “Then I’ll come visit you during New Year.”
Ingrid had seen this coming. Het response had been a subtle rejection, but Jasper had found another way around it.
After all hesitation, she said, “What I’m about to say might sound self–important, maybe even ungrateful, but I hope you won’t take it the wrong way.
Jasper locked up at her.
She continued, “You were kind to help me, but some people might misunderstand your actions. They might think you stepped in the other day because of me
“You may
by not care about those rumors, but I do. I care about how my superiors and colleagues see me. I want to keep things as simple as possible. That includes whatever this is between us.” Ingrid believed that if Jasper haden the slightest awareness, he would understand exactly what she meant. There was no possibility of anything between them beyond being colleagues
and friends.
Jasper listened attentively. After a moment, he said four simple words, “It’s not a misunderstanding
Tapes stated at Ingrid. “If one or two people think this way, it might be a misunderstanding. But it everyone thinks so, then it’s the truth.”
Suppressing her disdebet, Ingridasked, “Why?”
- el. “Why don’t you want me to
e appeared on Jasper’s face. “Hey, I only want a chance to date you, not Toner you into marriage.”
- the ty tone sent a shiver dosen Ingrid’sarm His response was too smooth. She wondered how many other girls he had spoken to like that before.
het expression neutral, she said, “We’re not right for each other”
Fa west orase, Ingrid was triggered. Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “I may have one–night stands, but I don’t like men who do.”
wete seated in a quiet corner of the shop. Ingrid’s voice wasn’t loud, but the words “one–night stand were sharp enough to daw attention. The people at the table next to them had
started stealing glances.
Ingrid them caution to the wind Absolute honesty was the best defense.
However, intrad of griting angry, Jasper chuckled “So, you’re finally acknowledging what happened!”
Jasper continued. “When you approached me that night at the club, I t erognized you immediately. You were the one who saved that person on Cleris Lane”
Hes expression remained seadable, ““Don’t tell me it was love at first sight “
Jager shook his head “Not at all. I went to the hotel with you because
By now, the two people at the next table had completely abandoned the
Ingrat hadn’t expected Jasper to be so blant. For a moment, she had na
Jasper studied bei “Was there something you weren’t satuted with that night?”
ingrid’s fær hrated instantly. She fought the urge toler
get, completely at ease, said, “It’s fine. If you have any cong
(maybe we could take things further.”
conversation next cost was this intriguing?
ingraded herself to stay composed. “I don’t want any further involvement with someone I’ve slept with. If I had known we would meet again, I wouldn’t have approached you that night.”
moire, Jasper said, “You were tiembling the whole
Ingrid identycard her teeth. She had never imagined herself doing sortiething
sad taken her a long time to work up the courage to approach Jasper.
When she saw Jasper in the club, she had only one thought–he was move handsome thun Brandon
bad wanted to be rejected, to be met with a look of shock and disdain so that she could wake herself up from the haze clouding her mind but to her surprise, Jasper had agreed without
Pe a brief mesent, she had regretted it. She wanted to run
anotturn value inside her told her to stay. Brandon treated her like a hookup, so why couldn’t she have one too?
right in the hotel, she had done everything she could to suppress her trembling, convinced that asper hadn’t noticed
sealed in the spaghetti shop, their eyes
again. “I don’t know what was on your mind that night. But at the very least, wh you were with me, you forgot about it for a little while
you say i made you happy, even if just for a moment?”
of a expression shifted before settling into one of indifference. She asked, “you looking for something regulic?
Pyled “1ddit expect you to leave that night”
Ingridometered, “il I bada’t, were you planning to start dating me?”
There was a list of sarcasm in his tone, but Jasper’s are remained steady. “You were to me because of my looks as well Let’s not be hypocritical
e
fout instead of getting flustered or angry, she felt oddly cales. After all, they had always each other naked–what was there to be enburrassed wither of us lost anything, let’s leave it at that I don’t wait a casual flung to turn into a friendship. From no
siderspunt. Ingrid stood up and walked away.
kast after bet. He simply said. “Get some test
